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SOUTHWEST ASIA (MIDDLE EAST)
GeoGraphic UnderstandinGs
SS7G5 The student will locate selected features in Southwestern Asia (Middle East).a. Locate on a world and regional political-physical map: Euphrates River, Jordan River, Tigris
River, Suez Canal, Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and Gaza Strip.
The rivers of Southwest Asia (the Middle East) are important because much of this region of the world is dry and desert or semi-desert. One of the longest rivers in the region is the Euphrates River, which begins in Turkey, and flows through Syria and Iraq. In southern Iraq, the Euphrates River joins with the Tigris River to form one waterway called the Shaat al-Arab, which then flows along the border between Kuwait and Iran before emptying into the Persian Gulf.
Saudi Arabia
Iran
Turkey
Afghanistan
Israel
Iraq
RED
S E AM E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
B L A C K S E A
C A S P I A NS E A
P E R S I A N G U L F
I N D I A N O C E A N
JORDANRIVER
TIGRIS RIVEREUPHRATES RIVER
SUEZCANAL
A R A B I A N S E A
STRAIT OF HORMUZ
G U L F O F A D E N
Gaza Strip
g_MiddleEast_1
Egypt
Sudan Yemen
Pakistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
OmanQatar
Bahrain
Jordan
Georgia
Russia
India
China
Lebanon
UnitedArab
Emeriates
Eritrea
EthiopiaSomalia
Armenia
Nakhichevan
Cyprus
Russia
Azurbaijan
Syria
The Tigris River begins in the mountains of Turkey and flows south through Iraq. It joins the Euphrates in southern Iraq. These two rivers provide water for both drinking and farming. The countries that share these rivers have had problems over how the water will be shared among them. The Shatt al-Arab, the waterway formed when the Euphrates River and Tigris River come together, is also important because it is the boundary between Kuwait and Iran.
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The Persian Gulf is one of the main ways oil is shipped from the rich fields of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the other countries that line its shores. All of the countries that produce oil in that region depend on the Persian Gulf as a shipping route. Any ships coming out of or into the Persian Gulf must navigate through the very narrow Strait of Hormuz, located at one end of the Persian Gulf. This waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
Once in the Arabian Sea, ships can sail east into the Red Sea, which is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the east and Egypt to the west. At the northern end of the Red Sea, ships can enter the man-made Suez Canal, which will allow them to get to the Mediterranean Sea without having to sail all around the continent of Africa.
The Jordan River is a much smaller river than either the Tigris or the Euphrates, but it is still very important. The waters that form the Jordan River begin in the mountains of Lebanon and Syria and flow down into the Hula Valley in northern Israel before reaching the Sea of Galilee. The Jordan River begins at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee and flows south until it reaches the Dead Sea. This river is one of the main sources of water for Israel, Jordan, parts of Syria, and many of those living in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Because so much water is taken out of the Jordan River by the different groups that depend on it, less and less water reaches the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea has no outlets. Water that flows in stays there and because so much evaporates in the desert air, the water remaining is high in salts and other chemicals. There are no fish living in the Dead Sea, and that is the reason for its name. The Jordan River is also important because it is the political boundary between Israel and the West Bank, a small part of Syria, and the country of Jordan.
Use the map to answer questions 221-224.
Saudi Arabia
Iran
Turkey
Afghanistan
Israel
Iraq
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
B L A C K S E A
C A S P I A NS E A
I N D I A N O C E A NG U L F O F A D E N
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3
4
5 6
7
8
9
h_MiddleEast_2
Egypt
Sudan Yemen
Pakistan
Uzbekistan
Turkmenistan Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
Oman
Jordan
Georgia
Russia
India
China
Lebanon
UnitedArab
Emeriates
Eritrea
EthiopiaSomalia
Armenia
Cyprus
Russia
Azurbaijan
Syria
Qatar
Bahrain
Nakhichevan
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221. Which marks the Suez Canal? A. 1B. 2C. 3D. 4
222. Which marks the Red Sea? A. 5B. 6C. 7D. 8
223. Which is marked with a “9”?A. Dead SeaB. Gaza Strip C. Tigris RiverD. Euphrates River
224. Which is marked with a “1”?A. Dead SeaB. Gaza StripC. Tigris RiverD. Euphrates River
225. Which bodies of water are connected by the Strait of Hormuz?A. the Red Sea and the Arabian SeaB. the Persian Gulf and the Arabian SeaC. the Mediterranean Sea and the Red SeaD. the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf
226. Which bodies of water are connected by the Suez Canal? A. the Red Sea and the Arabian SeaB. the Persian Gulf and the Arabian SeaC. the Mediterranean Sea and the Red SeaD. the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf
227. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers come together to form the border between which countries?A. Turkey and IraqB. Kuwait and IranC. Saudi Arabia and IsraelD. Iraq and Saudi Arabia
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228. Why is the Suez Canal so important to international shipping?A. The Suez Canal is Iraq’s only waterway leading into the Persian Gulf.B. The Suez Canal is the only way for ships to get out of the Persian Gulf.C. The Suez Canal makes it possible to get to the Mediterranean Sea from the Arabian
Sea without having to sail around the continent of Africa.D. The Suez Canal connects the Jordan River to the Persian Gulf, making it less
expensive to ship products to other parts of Southwest Asia.
SS7G5 The student will locate selected features in Southwestern Asia (Middle East).b. Locate on a world and regional political-physical map the nations of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq,
Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
The country of Afghanistan is located at the far eastern edge of the region of Southwest Asia. This country is landlocked, which means it has no seacoast. Afghanistan is very mountainous, and the people who live there are divided into a number of different ethnic groups or tribes.
Iran, to the west of Afghanistan, is one of the largest countries in Southwest Asia. Iran is mountainous as well, but this country also has long seacoasts and is able to use both the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. Iran uses the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz to transport its exports to the Arabian Sea and then on to many different world markets.
Just to the west of Iran is the country of Iraq. Iraq has the added advantage of having two of the largest rivers in the region, the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, flowing through its territory. In southern Iraq, these two rivers join and form a waterway called the Shatt al -Arab, a river that runs for about 125 miles before it empties into the Persian Gulf. This river forms part of the international boundary between Iraq and Iran, and a number of disputes have occurred there over access to the waterway.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. The Persian Gulf lies to the northwest of the country and the Red Sea is to its west.
Turkey is located to the north and west of Iraq. Turkey shares a border with Iraq, Syria, and Iran. Turkey is also the country in which the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers begin. Turkey has built a number of dams in recent years to try saving water from these two rivers for use by Turkish farms, villages, and towns.
South of Turkey is the country of Lebanon, and south of Lebanon is Israel. Israel was created by the United Nations in 1948 as a homeland for the Jewish people of the world. The country of Israel is bound by the Gaza Strip along the southern coast and the West Bank to the east. The Jordan River forms the boundary between the West Bank and the country of Jordan.
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Saudi Arabia
Iran
Turkey
Afghanistan
Israel
Iraq
RED
S E A
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
B L A C K S E A
C A S P I A NS E A
P E R S I A N G U L F
I N D I A N O C E A N
JORDANRIVER
TIGRIS RIVEREUPHRATES RIVER
SUEZCANAL
A R A B I A N S E A
STRAIT OF HORMUZ
G U L F O F A D E N
Gaza Strip
i_MiddleEast_3
Egypt
Sudan Yemen
Pakistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
Oman
Jordan
Georgia
Russia
India
China
Lebanon
UnitedArab
Emeriates
Eritrea
EthiopiaSomalia
Armenia
Cyprus
Russia
Azurbaijan
Syria
Qatar
Bahrain
Nakhichevan
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Use this map to answer questions 229-232.
5
2
6
14
3
RED
S E A
M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A
B L A C K S E A
C A S P I A NS E A
P E R S I A N G U L F
I N D I A N O C E A N
JORDANRIVER
TIGRIS RIVEREUPHRATES RIVER
SUEZCANAL
A R A B I A N S E A
STRAIT OF HORMUZ
G U L F O F A D E N
Gaza Strip
j_MiddleEast_4
Egypt
Sudan Yemen
Pakistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
Oman
Jordan
Georgia
Russia
India
China
Lebanon
UnitedArab
Emeriates
Eritrea
EthiopiaSomalia
Armenia
Cyprus
Russia
Azurbaijan
Syria
Qatar
Bahrain
Nakhichevan
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229. Which number marks Israel?A. 1B. 2C. 3D. 4
230. Which number marks Iraq?A. 2B. 3C. 4D. 6
231. Which number marks Saudi Arabia? A. 1B. 4C. 5 D. 6
232.Which country is marked by a “6”? A. IranB. JordanC. TurkeyD. Afghanistan
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SS7G6 The student will discuss environmental issues across Southwest Asia (Middle East).a. Explain how water pollution and the unequal distribution of water impacts irrigation and
drinking water.
Water is a natural resource that is distributed unevenly in Southwest Asia. Some countries, like Turkey and Iraq, have major rivers that provide enough water for farming communities. These two countries share the Tigris and Euphrates river systems. Israel, Syria, and Jordan share the Jordan River. Others, like Saudi Arabia, have almost no water. They are mostly made up of desert. Others, like Iran, have areas with access to rivers and areas that are made up of deserts. Because water is in short supply in so many parts of Southwest Asia, irrigation has been necessary for those who want to farm and raise animals for market.
Many types of irrigation can be found in Southwest Asia as farmers struggle to bring water to their fields from local rivers and from underground aquifers (layers of underground rock where water runoff from rains and streams is trapped). Some farmers use water from wells that tap into fossil water (water that has been underground for centuries). Rains and streams do not replace this water, and once it is used, is gone forever. Farmers in very rural areas still use methods used by their ancestors to irrigate their fields, including water wheels, irrigation ditches and canals, and animal power to lift water from underground wells. Farmers in countries with more technology use modern irrigation techniques. Israel and Saudi Arabia have developed systems of drip irrigation using computers that measure out how much water each plant receives. There has also been a lot of work done to learn how to take water from the ocean and desalinate it to use for drinking and irrigation. Desalination (the process of removing salt and other chemicals from seawater) is very expensive and requires complex technology.
As countries in Southwest Asia have worked to modernize their systems of agriculture, water pollution has been a growing problem. Increased demand for irrigation to expand farming has led to overuse of rivers and streams. Many farmers have begun to use chemical fertilizers, which have contaminated water supplies through runoff into these same rivers and streams. Constant planting and fertilizer use have led to the build-up of salt levels in soils, eventually making it impossible to farm in those areas. In the rush to develop industry, many cities and towns have grown rapidly, but the people living there have been slow to create effective ways to manage garbage and treat sewage. Access to water is also a source of conflict, especially among countries that share a river system. Dams built along a river to create lakes for irrigation and the production of hydroelectric power (electricity produced from the energy of running water) in one country reduce the amount of water available to other countries located further downstream.
233. Which river do Syria, Israel, and Jordan share?A. Nile B. TigrisC. Jordan D. Euphrates
234. How has the building of dams created problems for countries sharing rivers in Southwest Asia?A. Dams are too expensive to build to be practical.B. Dams limit the water available to countries further downstream.C. Few countries have the technology needed to be able to build dams.D. Countries in Southwest Asia are not allowed to build dams along shared rivers.
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235. What is one problem chemical fertilizers cause for farmers?A. Chemical fertilizers make farm animals sick.B. Chemicals have led to the build-up of salt levels in the soil.C. Fertilizers are too expensive for anyone in Southwest Asia to use.D. Few countries in Southwest Asia have factories to make fertilizers.
236. How has the use of chemical fertilizers affected water supplies in many countries in Southwest Asia?A. Use of chemical fertilizers means crops must be watered constantly.B. Enormous amounts of water must be used to produce chemical fertilizers.C. Chemical fertilizers have had very little effect on local water supplies in Southwest
Asia.D. Water supplies have been contaminated by the chemicals through runoff from the
fields.
237. Why aren’t desalinization and drip irrigation used more in Southwest Asia?A. Most countries do not know about these technologies.B. Drip irrigation is not very effective in a hot, dry climate.C. Few countries in Southwest Asia have access to seawater.D. These technologies are very expensive for the countries to use.
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SS7G7 The student will explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteris-tics, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution in Southwest Asia (Middle East).a. Explain how the distribution of oil has affected the development of Southwest Asia
(Middle East).
Two of the most important natural resources found in Southwest Asia are natural gas and oil. These two resources bring wealth into the region because they are needed for much of the world’s economy. Deposits of underground oil and natural gas were discovered in Southwest Asia at the beginning of the 1900s. At first, companies from the United States and Europe controlled the drilling and refining of most of this oil, but now most of the oil operations are controlled by the countries themselves. Over half of the world’s known oil reserves are found in this part of the world This has made some of these countries extremely rich and has led them to have a lot of control over the global economy.
In the 1960s, several of these Southwest Asian countries joined with other oil-rich countries around the world to create the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in order to have more control over the price of oil on the world market. OPEC has called for an embargo, or a slow-down or temporary halt, to oil supplies at different times in the past to get political and economic agreements from the other countries in the world. While some countries in Southwest Asia have grown very rich due to their oil production, others have struggled to help their populations make a decent living.
The Southwestern Asian countries with the greatest reserves of natural gas and oil are Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait. Some other countries have smaller reserves, especially those found around the Arabian Gulf. These countries have enjoyed tremendous growth in national wealth and an improved standard of living in the past fifty years. Those countries without oil reserves have had a much harder time improving living conditions for their populations. This difference in wealth in some of the Southwest Asian countries has led to conflicts among the nations.
238. What are the two most valuable natural resources in Southwest Asia?A. water and cottonB. phosphates and oilC. oil and natural gas D. sulfur and natural gas
239. How much of the world’s oil supply is found in Southwest Asia?A. 25 percentB. 40 percentC. 50 percentD. 75 percent
240. How has the discovery of oil in some Southwest Asian countries affected the economic development of this area?A. Those with oil need less water than the other countries around them.B. Having oil has made very little difference in the economy in this region.C. The discovery of oil has meant that no other industries have developed in the region.D. Those countries with oil reserves are much richer than those countries that have not
found oil in their territory.
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241. Which countries are the most oil-rich in the Southwestern Asian region?A. Iran, Iraq, Jordan, IsraelB. Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, LebanonC. Jordan, Israel, Syria, LebanonD. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
242. Why does the organization of OPEC play a powerful role in the world economy today?A. OPEC is a part of the United Nations.B. OPEC controls the oil in the world market.C. OPEC builds dams along rivers shared by several countries.D. OPEC membership includes many oil companies owned by firms in the United
States.
SS7G7 The student will explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteris-tics, distribution of natural resources and population distribution on Southwest Asia (Middle East).b. Describe how the deserts and rivers of Southwest Asia (Middle East) have affected the
population in terms of where people live, the type of work they do, and how they travel.
Three major river systems are located in Southwest Asia: the Euphrates River that runs through Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait; the Tigris River, which runs through Turkey, Iraq, and Kuwait; and the Jordan River, which forms part of the border for Syria, Jordan, the West Bank and Israel. In addition to being important sources of water, these rivers also provide boundaries between nations. These three rivers are important because they furnish water for drinking and irrigation, as well as routes for transportation and trade for those who live along their routes. Many of the major cities in Southwest Asia are located on or near these rivers. These cities and towns are also centers of industry, as that is where workers can most easily be found.
Southwest Asia has a number of very large desert areas: the great Syrian Desert shared between Syria and Iraq, and the Rub al-Khali, or “empty Quarter,” in southern Saudi Arabia. These deserts have historically provided Southwest Asia with natural barriers against invasion. They have also led to a way of life that developed around the need to survive in such harsh surroundings. Some people have always managed to live in and around the desert, living in tent camps and surviving as sheep and camel herders and making a living by trading animals and handmade goods with those who lived in the towns on the desert’s edge. These people are known as “Bedouins,” or desert nomads, and their way of life is gradually disappearing.
The countries of Southwest Asia generally have a very hot and dry climate. The climate is the type of weather a region has over a very long period. Four large oceans or bodies of water, the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean border Southwest Asia. Even so, mountain ranges close to many of the coastal areas block rains coming from these bodies of water and the result is that much of the interior of Southwest Asia is desert. Because there are coastal areas as well as a number of large rivers, other parts of this region have enough water to support agriculture and towns and cities of significant size.
Southwest Asia is located between three major continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia. For this reason, the region has played a major role in trade among these continents through the centuries. Ships loaded with trade goods from Asia would travel to the coast of Southwest Asia. These goods would then be loaded unto caravans that traveled across the desert to the coast on the other side of Southwest Asia. Today the Suez Canal in Egypt links the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, making it possible to continue the trade among continents without having to use overland caravans.
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Many people in Southwest Asia practice subsistence agriculture, growing small amounts of crops, to take care of their local needs. Because the climate is so dry, agriculture nearly always depends on irrigation, directing water from small rivers and streams to the farmers’ fields. There is some commercial agriculture (growing crops for industrial markets), but even that is limited by lack of water.
Water is a critical resource in Southwest Asia, both as a source of life and as a route for trade. Because the Tigris and Euphrates rivers run through more than one country, access to the water has led to many political conflicts in recent years. Several countries have built dams along their portion of these rivers, to create lakes for irrigation and to generate hydroelectric power (electricity created using the energy of running water). Each dam cuts down on the water available to the countries further downstream.
No agriculture or animal herding can take place without access to adequate sources of water. People in this region have used many creative ways to bring water to the fields where it is needed, using water wheels and pumps powered by animals or electricity, digging wells and qanats (underground tunnels that bring water from the hills to dry plains), and building canals. An additional problem comes with irrigation. Irrigated land usually needs chemical fertilizers. Repeated use of fertilizer eventually causes salts to build up in the soil, making it hard to grow anything. Many places in Southwest Asia that have been irrigated for many years no longer produce crops as well as they once did.
243. Many of the largest cities in Southwest Asia are located on or nearA. deserts.B. major rivers. C. large grasslands.D. mountain ranges.
244. The “Bedouins” are Southwest Asians who have traditionally lived in and around A. oil fields.B. urban areas.C. major deserts. D. large river systems.
245. People living in the deserts in Southwest Asia have usually made their living byA. farming.B. mining and hired labor.C. working in the oil industry.D. trading animals and handmade goods.
246. How have the major rivers of Southwest Asia become a part of political conflict?A. Many rivers dry up during the hot summers.B. The rivers have nothing to do with the area’s political conflict.C. Most countries do not allow water to be taken out of rivers for irrigation.D. Several countries have built dams along their portion of the river, cutting off water to
those living downstream.
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247. Which describes the climate of much of Southwest Asia?A. hot and dry B. windy and coldC. tropical and rainyD. moderate and cool
248. Because mountains block winds coming from the oceans, much of the interior of Southwest Asia isA. desert. B. grasslands.C. inland lakes.D. rich farming areas.
249. The major rivers in Southwest Asia have become political issues becauseA. deserts prevent the rivers from being large enough to be useful.B. they can be used only for trade and travel but not for drinking water.C. farmers have not been able to find ways to use the water for irrigation.D. everyone needs to be able to use the water and there is only a limited amount.
250. People living along the rivers of Southwest Asia have built canals, qanats, and water wheels to use the water forA. shipping.B. irrigation.C. swimming.D. flood control.
251. Dams built along the rivers have caused problems for people living further downstream becauseA. dams are expensive to build.B. a river can only be dammed in one place along its path.C. no fish can live in the rivers after they have been dammed.D. less water comes down the river to those people once the dam is built.
252. Which do Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait share?A. Tigris RiverB. Jordan RiverC. Euphrates River D. Afghanistan River
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SS7G8 The student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in South-west Asia (Middle East).a. Explain the differences between an ethnic group and a religious group.
An ethnic group is a group of people who share cultural ideas and beliefs that have been a part of their community for generations. The characteristics they may have in common could include a language, a religion, a shared history, types of foods, and a set of traditional stories, beliefs, or celebrations. These things make up a common culture shared by those in a particular ethnic group.
An example of an ethnic group from Southwest Asia is the Kurds. This group lives in a mountain region that spans Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Kurds speak Kurdish, and most are Muslim. Kurds do not have their own homeland or government. They are a minority group ruled by the country where they live.
A religious group shares a belief system in a god or gods, with a specific set of rituals and literature. People from different ethnic groups may share the same religion, though they may be from very different cultures. Religion has been important to the history of Southwest Asia. Christianity, Islam, Judaism were started in this region. People who follow Judaism are called Jews. Followers of Christianity are called Christians. Followers of Islam are called Muslims.
253. Which do Kurds share as part of their ethnic group?A. the Kurdish languageB. they live in the same countryC. self-rule in the land of KurdistanD. the ability to move freely to other countries
254. Which are the three main religious groups of Southwest Asia? A. Hinduism, Islam, JudaismB. Christianity, Islam, Judaism C. Buddhism, Hinduism, IslamD. Christianity, Islam, Shamanism
SS7G8 The student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in South-west Asia (Middle East).b. Explain the diversity of religions within the Arabs, Persians, and Kurds.
Southwest Asia is home to many different ethnic groups who share similar religions. The Arabs of Southwest Asia believe themselves to be descendants of Abraham in the Bible, through his son Ishmael. They make up the majority of those who live throughout the region known as Southwest Asia, though there are many differences among them. Most Arabs practice the religion of Islam and call themselves Muslims.
Those who call themselves Muslims are further divided, as some call themselves Sunni Muslims, while others are Shia Muslims. Many Arabs are Christians. Most Arabs, whether they are Muslim or Christian, speak the Arabic language.
Persians are those who live in the modern country of Iran. The Persian people are descended from a different group than those who are Arabs and Jews. Their ancestors were Indo-Europeans, from Central Europe and Southern Russia.
The country of Persia became known as Iran after World War I. Persians, or Iranians, speak Farsi,
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a language that uses the Arabic alphabet but is actually a different language. They practice Islam, but most belong to the Shia group of Muslims. About 15 percent of the Muslims in the world are Shia. The other 85 percent are Sunni Muslims.
The Kurds are an ethnic group that lives in several different countries in Southwest Asia. Most Kurds are found in the mountainous areas where Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq come together. The Kurds see themselves as a distinct ethnic group from others in the area. They speak their own language, known as Kurdish, and have a separate history, literature, music, and set of traditions. Many Kurds hope to have a nation of their own some day, a hope that has caused conflict with the countries in which Kurdish people live. Most Kurds are Sunni Muslim, though there is a small minority who are Shia Muslims.
255. Which ethnic group is most numerous in Southwest Asia?A. JewsB. KurdsC. ArabsD. Persians
256. What modern country is the home to those who call themselves Persians?A. Iran B. IraqC. IsraelD. Syria
257. What is the religion of most Persians?A. JudaismB. ChristianityC. Shia Muslim D. Sunni Muslim
258. What is the religion of most of the Arabs in Southwest Asia?A. JudaismB. ChristianityC. Shia MuslimD. Sunni Muslim
259. What is the religion of most of the Kurds?A. CatholicismB. ChristianityC. Shia MuslimD. Sunni Muslim
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SS7G8 The student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in South-west Asia (Middle East).c. Compare and contrast the prominent religions in Southwest Asia (Middle East): Judaism,
Islam, and Christianity.
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have their origins in the lands that make up the countries of Southwest Asia. Though these three religions have much in common, historically there has been a great deal of religious conflict in this part of the world. Today, Israel is the only country in the area that is mostly Jewish. All of the other countries in the region are mostly Muslim, although most also have a Christian minority. There are further divisions within all three religions. Muslims are divided into a number of sects, or groups. The most important are the Sunni Muslims and the Shia Muslims. Christians have many different denominations, which include Protestants, Catholics and various Orthodox sects. Different groups are found among Jews as well, including those who are Orthodox and those who are Reform. Religion has played a big role in the history and politics of Southwest Asia.
JUdaism
Judaism is a monotheistic religion, meaning its followers believe in only one God. Judaism traces its origins back to Abraham, a man born in Mesopotamia in approximately 2000 BC. He was one of the first people to profess the belief in a single God, even though the society in which he lived worshipped many different gods. The Torah, the first five books in the Hebrew Scriptures, says that God made a covenant (agreement) with Abraham, promising to set him as the head of a new nation if he would dedicate himself and the Hebrew people to the worship of one God. Abraham left Mesopotamia and eventually came to the land of Canaan (part of the present day state of Israel) on the Mediterranean coast, which he believed God had promised to him and his descendants. Here the Hebrews lived, worshipping Yahweh, the God they believed would protect them for their faithfulness. At a very old age, he and his wife Sarah had a son, Isaac. Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob, are seen as the patriarchs, or founders, of the Hebrew nation. Jacob’s twelve sons, in turn, are viewed as the ancestors of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
The Hebrew people lived in an area surrounded by more powerful kingdoms, and the Bible says that around 1300-1200 BC the Hebrews were forced into slavery in Egypt. After years of suffering Moses, who took them into the Sinai desert to escape capture, led them out of slavery. This escape is known as the “Exodus” and is remembered each year by the celebration of Passover in the Jewish religious calendar. While wandering in the Sinai desert, the Jewish faith teaches that God renewed his covenant with the Hebrew people, revealing to them the Ten Commandments. After many years, they were able to return to Canaan where they lived in twelve generally self-governing tribes. They gradually extended their territory to the south along the Jordan River. The largest of these tribes was that of Judah, from which the names Judaism and Jews developed.
Around 1000 BC, the Hebrew people united under a series of kings, Saul, David, and Solomon, in the kingdom of Israel. David established his capital in the city of Jerusalem, and Saul later built a great temple there and dedicated it to the one true God of the Jewish people. Struggles with more powerful neighbors continued however, and eventually the kingdom was divided with Judah in the south and Israel in the north. A period of Babylonian rule followed, ended by a revolt of the Maccabeus in 167 BC, which restored Hebrew control of the area. Independent rule in the area was ended finally by a Roman takeover, and the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD. Only a portion of the Western Wall of the Temple was left standing. The Jewish people were forced out of the lands around Jerusalem and for many generations lived in what was called “The Diaspora,” or the scattering of the Jews to other parts of the world. The importance of Jerusalem and of the remaining western wall of the Temple continued to be central to Jews during the long centuries of the Diaspora. They believed that the lands of ancient Israel and Judea remained part of the covenant they had made with God.
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260. What is the main belief that distinguished the Jewish faith from the others in the ancient world?A. the belief in life after deathB. the organization of believers into a separate stateC. the worship of a single god rather than many godsD. the offering of sacrifices during religious ceremonies
261. Which is the holy writing of Judaism? A. TorahB. QuranC. ConstitutionD. New Testament
262. The “Exodus” in the history of the Jewish people was the time whenA. Jews were in captivity in Babylon.B. the Romans forced the Jews out of Jerusalem.C. Abraham left Mesopotamia and moved to Canaan.D. Jews were freed from slavery in Egypt and returned to the land of Canaan.
christianity
Christianity is a religious movement that grew out of Judaism during the time of Roman rule in Palestine. The founding figure in Christianity is Jesus, a man who was born in Bethlehem in Judea to a Jewish family in about 4 BC. Tradition holds that he lived a modest life in Nazareth as a carpenter until he began to attract attention as a teacher and preacher when he reached the age of about thirty years of age. While he followed Jewish law and belief, he spoke of a more personal relationship with God, focusing on both the love of God and the generous treatment of neighbors and acquaintances. He had a number of followers who became known as his disciples, and their writings provide much of what is known about the life and teachings of Jesus. The first four books of the New Testament are made of these writings. They are known as the Gospels.
Many among both the Romans and the Jewish leaders worried about the attention Jesus attracted among the common people. Some of his followers went so far as to claim that he was the long awaited Messiah, or “savior of man.” Jewish leaders claimed Jesus encouraged such beliefs and was therefore guilty of crimes against Jewish teachings. The Roman ruler, Pontius Pilate, saw him as a threat to his authority and that of the Roman Empire. As a result, Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion, a form of execution in those days in which a person either was tied or nailed to a cross and suspended there until dead.
After his death, his followers believed that he was able to rise from the dead and walk among them again before going to heaven. They continued to call him the Messiah or the Greek “Christos,” which was shortened to “Christ.” They called him the “Son of God.” Word of Jesus’ rising from the dead began to spread quickly, and along with his teachings became the basis for a new religion called Christianity. His followers emphasized this new religion’s willingness to take in all who wished to believe. They angered the Romans, as they refused to worship Roman gods and goddesses. Many of the early Christians were put to death by Roman authorities in the years following the time of Jesus, but the religion continued to have growing appeal among many who did not like Roman rule and who wanted a religion that emphasized both Old Testament teachings and the loving and forgiving God described by Jesus. By the year 300 AD, Christianity had spread to most parts of the Roman world. In 313 AD, the Roman Emperor Constantine officially ended the harsh treatment of Christians and made Christianity a religion approved by the empire.
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263. Why did Jesus have trouble with both the Jewish leaders and the Roman authorities?A. Jesus urged people to tear down the Temple in Jerusalem.B. The new religion of Christianity was opened only to a very few people.C. He encouraged the people to form an army and revolt against the government.D. Jews accused him of crimes against their teachings; Romans saw him as a threat to
the Roman Empire.
264. What basic belief made Christianity different from Judaism?A. Christians believed Jesus was the Messiah, or savior of man.B. Only Judaism accepted and believed in the Ten Commandments.C. Jews never had problems with Roman authorities, while the Christians did.D. Christians allowed the worship of many of the Roman gods, while Judaism did not.
265. Why was Christianity finally accepted by the Roman Emperor as a legal religion?A. Christian armies defeated the Roman Emperor in battle.B. There were few other religions left in the Roman Empire by 313 AD.C. Emperor Constantine recognized that many Romans had become Christians.D. Christians made the worship of Roman gods and goddesses part of their religion as
well.
islam
Islam is a religion that began in the city of Mecca in the Arabian Peninsula in the 600s AD. Mecca was a trading center located along a main route on the Red Sea coast connecting the Byzantine Empire with the shipping and trading centers coming from the Indian Ocean and the Far East. As a stop on the trade route, many different people visited the city of Mecca. In the center of the town stood a rectangular building, the Ka’aba, which held several hundred different idols inside. Meccans believed the building had originally been built by Abraham and his son, Ishmael, to honor God for saving them from dying in the desert. Over the centuries, however, statues of many other idols and gods were placed in the building.
Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 AD. Orphaned at an early age, he was taken in by his uncle and trained to become a merchant. He married an older woman and took over her caravan business, becoming a respected member of the Mecca community.
At the age of forty, while spending an evening in one of the cool caves in the hills around Mecca, Muhammad began to hear the voice of the angel Gabriel, calling on him to tell the word of God to the people. After much worry and after talking with his wife, Muhammad decided the voice was real, and he began to tell others in Mecca about what he had heard. He told people they needed to rededicate themselves to the worship of one God, whom he called Allah. Those who were willing to agree to this belief became known as “Muslims,” or “ones who submit” to the will of God. Many in Mecca worried that his teachings would hurt their trade by angering those who worshipped other gods, and some of his followers began to face threats and violence.
To escape these threats, in 622 AD, Muhammad and his followers moved about 200 miles north to Yathrib, a city Muhammad renamed Medina, which means “the city of the prophet.” This move came to be known among Muslims as the “Hijrah,” and the date serves as the first year of the Islamic calendar. The people of Medina accepted Muhammad as both a political and a religious leader, and many joined the new religion of Islam.
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Muhammad returned to Mecca as the head of an army in 630 AD, and the city surrendered rather than face a war. One of his first acts on entering Mecca was to go to the Ka’aba and remove all the idols. He then dedicated the building to Allah, the one God. Mecca and the Ka’aba remained central to Muslim worship.
After Muhammad’s death, his followers collected the teachings from the angel Gabriel into the Quran (the holy book of Islam). Muslims believe there is only one God, and they view Muhammad as his final prophet. Much of the Old Testament and the New Testament are also included in the Quran, so Muslims see the Quran and Islam as the final and complete word of God. All Muslims believe they must meet five basic obligations, known as the Five Pillars. The first is called Shahada, the belief that “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.” The second is Salat, or praying five times a day facing the direction of Mecca. Zakat, or charity to the poor is the third, followed by Sawm, or eating or drinking nothing during the daylight hours of the month of Ramadan, the tenth month in the Muslim calendar. The final Pillar is to make the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, sometime during one’s lifetime.
For Muslims, the Quran offers a handbook for leading a respectable life. Some Muslim countries base their legal code on the law of Quran, a system known as shariah law. Because so much of both the Old and New Testaments are a part of the Quran, Muslims view Jews and Christians as “People of the Book,” who should be accorded special respect though they were expected to pay a tax as they were not required to give Zakat to the poor.
After Muhammad’s death, the religion of Islam spread rapidly throughout the Arabian Peninsula and parts of the Persian and Byzantine Empires. Led by four men who had been friends of Muhammad, the “Rightly Guided Caliphs,” Muslim armies were able to easily conquer areas where these older empires had weakened over the years. The word “Caliph” means leader or ruler. Many people welcomed the Muslims and converted to Islam, finding it a simple and direct religion.
266. What is the relationship between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?A. The three religions all believe in different gods.B. All three religions accept Jesus as the “Son of God.”C. Unlike Judaism and Christianity, Islam won new converts only by war and force.D. Islam includes much of the Old and New Testaments in its holy book, the Quran.
267. What did Muhammad believe the angel Gabriel was asking him to do?A. tell the word of God to the peopleB. bring an end to all religions other than IslamC. develop Mecca into a more powerful trading centerD. tear down the Ka’aba because idols had been stored there
268. What is the importance of the Ka’aba to Muslims?A. The Ka’aba was the original home of Muhammad.B. They believe it was originally built by the prophet Abraham.C. This building is where most important business deals were made in Mecca.D. They believe it is the place where Gabriel gave Muhammad the word of God.
269. Why did Islam spread so quickly after the death of Muhammad?A. Muslim armies conquered empires that had weakened over the years.B. Muslims refused to trade with anyone who would not convert to Islam.C. There were no religions in that part of the world to compete with Islam.D. Jews and Christians were forced to convert to Islam or face prison or death.
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270. What are the Five Pillars?A. the first five books of the QuranB. the five columns that support the roof of the Ka’abaC. five beliefs shared by Judaism, Christianity, and IslamD. five basic obligations that Muslims are supposed to meet in their lives
271. Why do Muslims call Jews and Christians “People of the Book”?A. People belonging to these religions could read.B. Followers of all three religions were taken in census records.C. Much of the Old and New Testament is included in the Quran.D. Jews and Christians were the first groups in Southwest Asia who had a written
language.
SS7G8 The student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in South-west Asia (Middle East). d. Explain the origin of the division between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
After Muhammad died, there was disagreement about who should lead the Muslim community, or the ummah. This question was settled for a time by agreeing to place power in the hands of men who had been friends of Muhammad’s in his lifetime. They ruled one after the other, and they were known as the “Four Rightly Guided Caliphs.” When the last of these men died, a new argument arose over who should lead the Muslim community. One group thought leadership should go to whoever was most able to keep the community together. These people came to be known as the Sunni Muslims, those who saw themselves closely following Muhammad’s example. The second group felt leadership should go to a direct descendant of Muhammad. They wanted to choose one of Muhammad’s grandsons, the children of his son-in-law Ali, for leadership. They became known as the Shia-Ali, or “supporters of Ali.” This name has been shortened to Shia. A battle for control soon followed, resulting in the death of one of Muhammad’s grandsons and the transfer of power to the Umayyad family and the Sunni supporters. These divisions in the Muslim community remain even today, though there is little difference in their basic religious beliefs. The Sunni Muslims have always been in the majority, making up about 85 percent of those who call themselves Muslims today. The Shia Muslims have always been a minority, but they are a major portion of the populations of a number of countries today including Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. Iran is over 90 percent Shia.
272. What issue led to the split between the Sunni and Shia in Islam?A. The Shia believed only Arabs could be Muslims.B. Arguments began over what should be included in the Five Pillars.C. The Shia wanted to change the direction of prayer to Jerusalem rather than Mecca.D. They disagreed over who should lead the Muslim community after the death of
Muhammad.
273. Why were the first four leaders of the Muslims after Muhammad’s death called the “Four Rightly Guided Caliphs”?A. They had been friends of Muhammad.B. They had studied leadership for many years and were well prepared to rule.C. They arranged for a split in the community between Sunni and Shia Muslims.D. These men all ruled together so there could be no question about their decisions.
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Use the graph to answer the next three questions.
Religions in Iraq and Iran
274. What part of the population of Iran is Sunni Muslim? A. 9% B. 33%C. 64%D. 89 %
275. Which would be the BEST alternative for showing these data in another way?A. use two line graphsB. use one circle graphC. use two circle graphs D. use a line graph with two lines of different colors
276. Which question could be answered using information from the graph? A. Which country has the most Shia Muslims? B. What part of the population of Iran is Hindu? C. What part of the population of Iraq is Christian?D. Which country has the highest proportion of its population as Shia Muslim?
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SS7G8 The student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in South-west Asia (Middle East).e. Evaluate how the literacy rate affects the standard of living.
Literacy, or the ability to read and write, has a big effect on the standard of living of a country. Those who cannot read or write have a very difficult time finding decent jobs. Lack of education also prevents many young people from becoming the engineers, doctors, scientists, or business managers that the modern economies need in order to bring improvements to their countries. Many parts of Southwest Asia, particularly those where there are fewer cities and towns, have lower literacy rates than one finds in Europe or the United States. Often schooling is only available to those who can afford to pay to attend. Many countries in this region are working hard to raise literacy rates among young people. Girls tend to have less opportunity to go to school than boys in many areas of Southwest Asia, a problem these countries are trying to correct.
Use this chart to answer questions 277-281.
Country Total Literacy Literacy of Males
Literacy of Females
GDP – Gross Domestic
Product, per capita
Bahrain 86.5% 88.6% 83.6% $32,000
Gaza/West Bank 92.4% 96% 88% $ 1,100
Iran 77% 83.5% 70.4% $10,600
Iraq 74.1% 84.5% 64.2% $ 3,600
Israel 97.1% 98.5% 95.9% $25,800
Jordan 89.9% 95.1% 84.7% $ 4,900
Kuwait 93.3% 94.4% 91% $39,300
Lebanon 87.4% 93.1% 82.2% $11,300
Oman 81.4% 86.8% 73.5% $24,000
Qatar 89% 89.1% 88.6% $80,900
Saudi Arabia 78.8% 84.7% 70.8% $23,200
Syria 79.6% 86% 73.6% $ 4,500
Turkey 87.4% 95.3% 79.6% $12,900
United Arab Emirates 77.9% 76.1% 81.7% $37,300
Yemen 50.2% 70.5% 30% $ 2,300
United States(for comparison)
99% 99% 99% $45,800
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Gross Domestic Product is the value of all goods and services produced within a nation in a given year and converted into US Dollars for comparison. When divided into a value per capita (or person), it can be used as a measure of the general welfare or living conditions in the country. The higher the GPD value, generally the better the living conditions in the country.
277. Which Southwest Asian countries have the lowest literacy rates?A. Iran and IraqB. Yemen and IraqC. Syria and Saudi ArabiaD. Yemen and Saudi Arabia
278. Which Southwestern Asian countries have the highest national wealth as determined by GDP?A. Oman and IsraelB. Kuwait and QuatarC. Saudi Arabia and OmanD. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates
279. Which Southwest Asian countries have the lowest national wealth?A. Syria and IraqB. Yemen and JordanC. Gaza/West Bank and SyriaD. Gaza/West Bank and Yemen
280. What generalization can be made about the relationship between national wealth and literacy?A. Literacy is always higher in wealthy countries.B. Literacy is usually higher in wealthy countries.C. Countries with oil wealth always have the highest literacy rates.D. There is no relationship between a country’s wealth and its literacy rate.
281. How do literacy rates in Southwest Asia differ for men and women?A. Women have a higher literacy rate in at least half of the countries.B. There is very little difference in the literacy rates for men and women.C. In nearly all the countries, women have a lower literacy rate than men.D. Women’s literacy rates are highest in the countries with large oil reserves.
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Government/ civics UnderstandinGs
SS7CG4 The student will compare and contrast various forms of government.a. Describe the ways government systems distribute power: unitary, confederation, federal.
A unitary government system is one in which the central government holds nearly all of the power. In a unitary system, local governments such as state or county systems may have some power, but they are under the control of the central government. That central government has the power to change the way state or county governments operate or abolish them altogether. Some unitary governments have elected officials, who, once elected, may make and enforce laws without taking the opinions of those at lower levels of government into consideration. A monarchy, where a king and his advisors make most of the decisions, would be a good example of a unitary government. Some of the countries in Southwest Asia have unitary forms of government. Saudi Arabia is a monarchy and is an example of a unitary system of government.
A confederation government system is one in which the local governments hold all of the power and the central government depends on the local governments for its existence. The central government has only as much power as the local governments are willing to give. Examples of confederations that can be found among the countries of Southwest Asia would include the League of Arab States or the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
A federal government system is a political system in which power is shared among different levels of government. Here power is divided into national governments and state governments. In Southwest Asia, the country of Israel is an example of a federal form of government.
282. In a unitary government system, most of the power is in the hands of theA. individual voters.B. king and advisors.C. local governments.D. central government.
283. Which country is an example of a unitary government system?A. IsraelB. LebanonC. Saudi ArabiaD. the United States
284. In a confederation government system, most of the power is in the hands of theA. legislature.B. individual voters.C. local governments.D. central government.
285. What is a weakness of a confederation government system?A. A confederation is very expensive.B. Confederations are too large to rule effectively.C. A confederation does not share power with its members.D. The central government has only as much power as the local governments are willing
to give.
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286. Which Southwest Asian country is an example of a federal system of government?A. IranB. IsraelC. KuwaitD. Saudi Arabia
SS7CG4 The student will compare and contrast various forms of government.b. Explain how governments determine citizen participation: autocratic, oligarchic, and
democratic.
People who live under different kinds of governments often find there are great differences in the rights given to individual citizens.
An autocratic government is one in which the ruler has absolute power to do whatever he wishes and makes and enforces whatever laws he chooses. Individuals who live under autocratic governments do not have any rights to choose leaders or vote on which laws are made and put into practice. Some autocratic governments may allow the people rights in certain areas like managing local affairs, but the central government keeps control of all the most important aspects of the country’s life. In an autocratic system, people usually have little or no power to use against the government if they disagree with decisions that government or ruler has made. There are many different kinds of autocratic governments. A monarchy such as Saudi Arabia, where the king has ultimate power, is one example.
An oligarchy means “government by the few.” In this form of government, a political party or other small group takes over a government and makes all of the major decisions. The people of the country have little choice but to go along with the decisions they make. This sort of government can be very similar to an autocratic government. There are several countries in Southwest Asia that might be described as oligarchies. In Syria, the ruling political party, the Ba’ath Party, controls much of the government. Syria has a nationally elected assembly, but most of the major decisions are made by the delegates of the Ba’ath Party and then handed down to the people. Iran could also be described as an oligarchy, because a small group of religious and political leaders makes many of the important decisions.
In a democratic government system, the people play a much greater role in deciding who the rulers are and what decisions are made. “Democracy” comes from the Greek word “demos,” which means “people.” In this form of government, a great deal of power is left in the hands of the people. People who live in a democracy generally recognize that there must be some rules to organize society, but the goal is to leave as much individual freedom as possible. Decisions are often made by majority votes, but there are also laws in place to protect individual rights. If a person living in a democracy feels his rights have been violated, he has the power to ask the government for help in correcting the situation. Among the countries of Southwest Asia, Israel is a good example of a democracy. Those organizing the new government of Iraq are hoping to establish a democratic system in that country as well.
287. Who makes most of the important governmental decisions in an autocracy?A. the rulerB. the people C. the court systemD. the elected legislature
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288. Which Southwest Asian country is an autocracy?A. IraqB. IsraelC. TurkeyD. Saudi Arabia
289. Who makes most of the important governmental decisions in an oligarchy?A. the kingB. the peopleC. the legislatureD. a small group of powerful leaders
290. Why do the individual voters have more power in a democracy than they do in an autocracy or an oligarchy?A. Kings are always cruel rulers.B. The voters get to choose the people who make the laws.C. All of the power stays in the hands of the local governments.D. Voters in democratic countries always choose qualified leaders.
291. Which Southwest Asian country has a democratic system of government?A. IranB. IsraelC. KuwaitD. Saudi Arabia
Use information in the passage to answer the next two questions.
The Saudi royal family controls the national government of Saudi Arabia. The king is the son of the previous king, and his son will rule after him. All government leaders serve by appointment from the king. The king appoints the governors of the provinces, as well. The king has the ability to remove any government official from a village, town, or province. The governments of the provinces and towns have no rights or authority.
292. Which type of government is described in the passage? A. unitaryB. federationC. confederationD. parliamentary
293. Which BEST describes the government of Saudi Arabia? A. oligarchy B. monarchy C. democracyD. dictatorship
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SS7CG4 The student will compare and contrast various forms of government.c. Describe the two predominant forms of democratic governments: parliamentary and
presidential.
In a parliamentary form of democratic government, the people vote for those who represent the political party they feel best represents their views of how the government should operate. The legislature they elect, the Parliament, makes and carries out (enforces) the laws for the country. The party that wins the majority of representatives in the legislature usually chooses the leader of a parliamentary form of government. This leader is often called a Prime Minister or Premier and is recognized as the head of the government. The Prime Minister leads the executive branch of the government and must answer directly to the legislature for the actions and policies recommended. In many parliamentary governments there will also be a “Head of State” who is more of a ceremonial leader. The country of Jordan in Southwest Asia is a constitutional monarchy. The King serves as Chief of State and he has a Prime Minister who is appointed to consult with the monarchy.
A Prime Minister holds power for whatever term of office the country’s constitution allows. A Prime Minister may be voted out of office before the term runs out if the party he leads begins to lose power. In that case, new elections may be called before his term of office is over. The Prime Minister of Jordan holds his job at the wishes of the king. In Israel, the citizens elect delegates to the national parliament, called the Knesset. The political party that gets the most seats when elections are held for the national assembly chooses the Prime Minister of Israel. Prime Ministers are chosen in different ways in different countries.
A presidential form of democratic government is also called a congressional form of government. Here a President, or chief executive, is chosen separately from the legislature. The legislature passes the laws, and it is the duty of the president to see that the laws are enforced. The president holds power separately from the legislature, but he does not have the power to dismiss the legislature or force them to make particular laws. The president is the official head of the government. The legislature does not have the power to dismiss the president, except in extreme cases when the impeachment process can be used. The president is both the Head of State and the head of the government. The president is given specific powers and does not serve only in a ceremonial way.
One difference between a presidential and parliamentary system of government is that a prime minister is a member of a parliament while a president is in a separate branch of the government. However, in a presidential system, the president serves for a set period of time. Unlike a parliamentary system, new elections are not held earlier if the ruling party begins to lose popularity.
294. Which branch of government is responsible for making and carrying out the laws in a parliamentary system of government?A. judicialB. executiveC. legislativeD. the monarch
295. The leader of a parliamentary system is often called theA. king.B. president.C. governor.D. prime minister.
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296. The leader of a parliamentary system is chosen byA. the monarch or king.B. a popular vote of the people.C. a decision by the national courts.D. the political party with the most representatives in the legislature.
297. The Head of State in a parliamentary system is often a person who hasA. no actual power.B. a veto for laws passed by the legislature.C. the most power in the national government.D. a ceremonial role without much actual power.
298. In a presidential system of government, how is a president chosen?A. by a decision of the national courtsB. by a majority vote of the legislatureC. in a separate vote from the one that chooses the legislatureD. by the political party with the most representatives in the legislature
299. What is the role of the president regarding the laws passed by the legislature?A. The president must enforce those laws.B. The president can change the laws he does not like.C. The president sends the laws to the states for approval.D. Laws passed by the legislature do not have to go to the president for approval.
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SS7CG5 The student will explain the structures of the national governments of Southwest Asia (Middle East).a. Compare the parliamentary democracy of the State of Israel, the monarchy of the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia, and the theocracy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, distinguishing the form of leadership, and the role of the citizen in terms of voting rights and personal freedoms.
israel
Israel is a parliamentary democracy. It has a government in which the people elect representatives from a group of different political parties. The head of the government is usually the leader of the political party with the majority of elected delegates. These people make the laws for the nation.
The Israeli parliament is called the Knesset and its leader is called the Prime Minister. There are several main parties in the Knesset, but there are also many smaller parties represented. All Israeli citizens over the age of 18 are allowed to vote for members of the Knesset, and they vote for a candidate running for whichever political party they feel best represents the way they want the government to be. While most of Israel’s Jewish citizens see themselves as secular, meaning they do not feel the country’s laws should be based solely on religious beliefs, many Israeli laws are influenced by the Orthodox Jews, those who want government policy to be made according to religious law. These people represent about 25 percent of the Israeli population. Elections are held in Israel every four years, unless the party in power begins to lose the support of a majority of the Knesset members. In that case, elections for a new Knesset may be held earlier than scheduled.
saUdi arabia
Saudi Arabia is ruled by a hereditary monarchy, which means the government is led by a king who comes from a family that has ruled the country for several generations. The king of Saudi Arabia has been a member of the al-Saud family since the 1920s. The king and his advisors, many of whom are his family members or influential business and religious leaders in the country, make the laws. There is no written constitution, and the king rules for life. The people of Saudi Arabia do not choose the king. When a king dies, the Saudi family announces who the next king will be from among their male family members. Conservative religious leaders also have a great deal of influence in decisions made by the monarchy. Much of Saudi law is based on what these religious leaders say is law found in the Quran, the Muslim holy book. Laws based on the teaching of the Quran are known as Shariah law. Nearly all Saudi citizens are Muslims.
iran
A theocracy is a government in which God is seen as the true leader of the government and the country’s religious leaders serve as the political leaders. Iran is interesting, because even though the country does have a popularly elected president and legislature, religious leaders also play an important role in the government’s leadership. Some classify Iran as a theocratic republic. Iranian citizens over the age of 16 are eligible to vote in all elections. Most Iranians are members of the Shia group of Islam. The Shia generally believe that their religious leaders should play an active role in making political decisions, so many Shia clerics, or religious leaders, are involved in Iranian politics. Many of these religious leaders take the title Ayatollah. This is a title given to Shia religious leaders who have been recognized for their great scholarship and understanding of religious law. Because Iran has so much oil wealth and is a leading member of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries), the decisions made by the Iranian government have an impact on countries all around the world.
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300. The Israeli parliament is called theA. Senate.B. Knesset.C. Congress.D. House of Representatives.
301. What role do religious leaders play in the Israeli government?A. They have some influence in making laws.B. They are not allowed to run for political office.C. Religious leaders always control which candidates are elected.D. They are guaranteed a certain number of representatives in each election.
302. Who is allowed to vote in Israeli elections?A. all citizens 16 years of age or olderB. all citizens 18 years of age or olderC. only men who can prove they are Israeli citizensD. only those who were actually born in the State of Israel
303. How often are elections for the national government held in Israel?A. Elections are held every six years.B. Party members are elected for life.C. Religious leaders can require new elections whenever they like.D. Elections are held every four years unless the ruling party calls for them to be held
sooner.
304. Saudi Arabia is ruled by aA. king.B. representative government.C. popularly elected president.D. group of leading religious leaders.
305. How long does a monarch rule?A. one elected termB. a term of ten yearsC. as long as parliament allows him to ruleD. until he dies or chooses to give up power
306. What role do the people play in a government that is a monarchy such as Saudi Arabia?A. They have the power to vote a ruler out of office.B. The people get to approve the laws made by the ruler.C. They have little influence, as the ruler makes most decisions.D. They are guaranteed certain rights by their written constitution.
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307. What is Shariah law?A. laws made by the king aloneB. laws based on parliamentary democracyC. laws based on the teachings of the QuranD. laws calling for a separation of church and state
308. What is the definition of a “theocracy”?A. a government that sees God as the supreme rulerB. a government that allows the people to choose the leadersC. a system in which religious law and civil law are separateD. a system in which only religious leaders are allowed to vote
309. Why is Iran sometimes called a theocratic republic?A. Iran’s religious leaders make all the laws for the country.B. Religious leaders decide which Iranian citizens can vote.C. The people of Iran have no say in choosing their government leaders.D. Iran’s government is led by both an elected parliament and powerful religious
leaders.
310. What is an Ayatollah?A. a Christian priestB. a Shia religious leaderC. the title of a local governorD. a leader of a Jewish congregation
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Use the diagram to answer questions 311-312.
Government of IranGovernment of Iran
ELECTORATE
MAJLES (Parliament) (elected)290 representatives
SUPREME LEADERAbsolute ruler
ARMED FORCES
HEAD OF JUDICIARY SYSTEM
EXPENDIENCY COUNCIL
approves candidates
CABINET
PRESIDENT (elected)
GUARDIAN COUNCIL6 mullahs + 6 lawyers;
Acts as a constitutional court
ASSEMBLY OF EXPERTS86 mullahs elected for 8-year terms;reviews actions of supreme leader
311. Who is the most powerful elected official in Iran? A. presidentB. electorateC. Supreme Leader D. head of the judiciary
312. How does the Guardian Council affect elections? A. the mullahs tell people who to vote forB. the mullahs and lawyers must agree on the Supreme LeaderC. they approve candidates that will be placed on the ballots in elections D. they cannot affect elections since they are appointed by the Majles and Supreme
Leader
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economic UnderstandinGs
SS7E5 The student will analyze different economic systems.a. Compare how traditional, command, and market economies answer the economic questions
of (1) what to produce, (2) how to produce, and (3) for whom to produce.
Every society must deal with providing goods and services for its people. Each society must also develop an economic system that can decide how to use the limited resources of that society as well. Three basic questions must be answered:
a. What goods and services will be produced?b. How will these goods and services be produced?c. Who uses the goods and services that are produced?
a traditional economy
In a traditional economy, most of the economic decisions that are made are based on custom and on the habit of how such decisions were made in the past. The word tradition means something that has been passed down in a culture from one generation to the next. Many traditional economies are found in rural areas where people depend on members of their extended families and where the work is often subsistence farming, herding animals, or working in simple crafts and trades. Often very little money ever exchanges hands in a traditional economy. Bartering, or trading in goods and services, replaces currency as a way of paying for things people need. In Southwest Asia, traditional economies can still be found in rural areas of many of the countries of this region. No country today can be described as having a primarily traditional economy.
313. In a traditional economy, how are economic decisions made?A. custom and habitB. government plannersC. consumers and the marketD. combination of consumers and government planners
a command economy
A command economy is a more centralized economy, one in which government planning groups make most of the basic economic decisions for the workers. A central planning group would decide which goods and services should be produced, as well as prices for the goods and wages paid to the workers. No individual could decide to start a new business on his or her own. The government would decide what to produce and who would own the places where the goods were produced. The government would also decide what jobs the workers would do and how and where the goods produced would be sold.
314. In a command economy, how are economic decisions made?A. custom and habitB. government plannersC. consumers and the marketD. combination of consumers and government planners
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315. Which would be a problem in a command economy?A. individuals trying to start a new businessB. workers forced to do jobs they did not care to doC. local crafts produced before manufactured goodsD. government planners set prices for goods produced
a market economy
The third basic type of economic system is a market economy, one in which a society’s economic decisions are made by individuals who decide what to produce and what to buy. Other names for a market economy are capitalism, free enterprise, or laissez-faire (French phrase that means “to allow them to do as they please”). Many countries in Southwest Asia use a market or free enterprise economic system.
316. In a market economy, who makes the economic decisions?A. farmers B. custom and habitC. government plannersD. consumers and the market
317. Who takes on the financial risk in starting a new business in a market economy?A. consumersB. government plannersC. individual business people D. combination of government planners and individual investors
SS7E5 The student will analyze different economic systems.b. Explain how most countries have a mixed economy located on a continuum between pure
market and pure command.
a mixed economy
Nearly all modern economies in the world today have characteristics of both market and command economic systems. That is why they are called mixed economies. Traditional economies are very hard to find and could not function effectively for a whole nation. Nearly all the countries in Southwest Asia today would best be described as mixed economies, as they have the characteristics of a free market and free enterprise as well as some government planning and control.
318. Why are most modern economies referred to as mixed economies?A. Poverty is always highest in countries with market economies.B. Government planners do not know how to handle economic problems.C. Products made by traditional economies have no markets in the modern world.D. Most countries have all aspects of three economic types at work in their economies.
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319. Why do most economies in the world today operate somewhere in between a market economy and a command economy?A. Most consumers want government control of the economy.B. Government control makes a market economy more profitable.C. Government control of some aspects of the economy has never been successful in
the modern world.D. Most economies have found they need a mix of free market and some government
control to be successful and protect consumers.
SS7E5 The student will analyze different economic systems.c. Compare and contrast the economic systems in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran.
Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran are very different countries in terms of location, residents, and economic systems.
Israel is located along the Mediterranean coast and has a relatively small geographic area and almost no natural resources. Israel was founded in 1948 as a homeland for the world’s Jews, and most of the citizens are Jewish. Though they have many problems with their Arab neighbors, Israel has good relations with much of Western Europe and with the United States. The Israelis have built an economy based on advanced technology that has allowed them to make up for much of what they lack in farmland and natural resources.
Saudi Arabia is one of the largest countries in Southwest Asia, and it is located to the south of Israel on the Arabian Peninsula. Most Saudis are Sunni Muslims, and Saudi Arabia is the location of Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims. Though much of Saudi Arabia is desert, the country has rich oil reserves that allow the Saudis to buy most of the goods they cannot produce themselves. The king of Saudi Arabia and his advisors make most of the decisions about how and where to use oil profits, but they have invested a lot of the nation’s wealth in technologies that allow them to produce goods they would not be able to do otherwise in a desert climate.
Iran is located across the Persian Gulf from Saudi Arabia. Iran has great oil wealth, like Saudi Arabia, though there is also a more mixed economy that has grown in spite of government attempts to keep tighter control. Iran’s command economy has not been very efficient in recent years. Even though there is oil wealth, many Iranians do not share in the money.
Turkey is located in the northwestern part of the Middle East. The city of Istanbul in Turkey is seen as the gateway to Asia from Europe, and for thousands of years, traders have crossed Turkey traveling from Europe to Asia. Turkey has the least economic freedom of the three countries. Industries such as airlines and railroads have been controlled by the government. The government has controlled the telephone and television industries, as well. However, in recent times, the government has been loosening its hold on these key businesses. More private ownership has been allowed. More laws have been passed to protect business owners.
320. The economies of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran could best be described as A. mixed.B. market.C. command.D. traditional.
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321. How have the Israelis made up for their lack of natural resources?A They have put everyone to work and have no unemployment.B. They have relied primarily on farming to keep their economy going.C. They have developed strong technology companies in their economy.D. Israelis have refused to import oil, saving huge amounts of money each year.
322. Which industry does the government of Saudi Arabia heavily control? A. oilB. technologyC. agriculturalD. textile manufacturing
323. How has the Saudi king used the profits from oil to help other areas of his kingdom?A. Money is distributed directly to all Saudi citizens.B. The King has ended unemployment in Saudi Arabia.C. Oil profits have paid for modern technology and services.D. The King has let the Saudi people decide how to invest oil profits.
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SS7E6 The student will explain how voluntary trade benefits buyers and sellers in Southwest Asia (Middle East).a. Explain how specialization encourages trade between countries.
Not every country can produce all of the goods and services it needs. Because of this, countries specialize in producing those goods and services that they can provide most efficiently. They then look for others who may need those goods and services so they can sell their products to those who need them. The money earned by such sales then allows the purchase of goods and services the first country is unable to produce.
In international trade, no country can be completely self-sufficient (produce all the goods and services it needs). Specialization (products a country makes best and that are in demand on the world market) is a way to build a profitable economy and to earn money to buy items that cannot be made locally.
Some countries in Southwest Asia are very rich in oil and natural gas, but they lack farmland and the ability to produce enough food. Saudi Arabia is able to specialize in the production of oil and gas and sell these products at great profit on the world market. The money earned in this trade can then be used to purchase food and the technology needed to make their agriculture system more efficient.
Israel has little in the way of oil wealth, but they have become leaders in agricultural technology even though they have a limited supply of land suitable for farming. They can sell this technology to earn the money to supplement their limited production of food.
324. What is “economic specialization”?A. directly swapping goods from one country to another without having to use moneyB. trying to avoid investing in industry and technology because of the expense involvedC. producing all goods and services needed for a country’s growth, so that trade with
other countries is not neededD. producing those goods a country can make most efficiently so they can trade them
for goods made by others that cannot be produced locally
325. Saudi Arabia specializes in the production ofA. oil and gas.B. oil and sugar.C. olive and orange.D. beef and chicken.
326. Israel specializes inA. medical technologies.B. industrial technologies.C. scientific technologies.D. agricultural technologies.
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SS7E6 The student will explain how voluntary trade benefits buyers and sellers in Southwest Asia (Middle East).b. Compare and contrast different types of trade barriers such as tariffs, quotas, and embargos.
Trade barriers are anything that slows down or prevents one country from exchanging goods with another. Some trade barriers are put in place to protect local industries from lower priced goods made in other countries. Other times trade barriers are created due to political problems between countries. Trade is stopped until the political issues are settled. The countries in Southwest Asia, as in most parts of the world, have experienced trade barriers at one time or another.
A tariff is a tax placed on goods when they are brought (imported) into one country from another country. The purpose of a tariff is usually to make the imported item more expensive than a similar item made locally. This sort of tariff is called a “protective tariff” because it protects local manufacturers from competition coming from cheaper goods made in other countries. Most countries have tariffs on goods imported from other countries. Other countries also place tariffs on goods coming to their markets from other parts of the world.
A quota is a different way of limiting the amount of foreign goods that can come into a country. A quota sets a specific amount or number of a particular product that can be imported or acquired in a given period. Israel could decide, for example, that only 1500 cars could be brought into the country from Japan in a given year. That would make it more likely that people buying cars would have to buy Israeli-made cars if Japanese cars were not available.
A third type of trade barrier is called an embargo. An embargo is when one country announces that it will no longer trade with another country in order to isolate the country and cause problems with that country’s economy. Embargos usually come about when two countries are having political disputes. Embargos often cause problems for all countries involved. A good example of an embargo is the decision by the OPEC countries to stop all sales of oil and gas to the countries supporting Israel in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
327. What is a tariff?A. a tax paid by the purchaser when goods are soldB. a tax placed on goods coming into one country from anotherC. a tax placed on goods made by local craftsmen or manufacturersD. a tax paid when goods are shipped from one state to another in the United States
328. What is a quota?A. a decision to prevent certain goods from being importedB. a tax placed on imported goods when they enter the countryC. a tax placed on goods when they are purchased in the market placeD. a limit to the number or amount of a foreign-produced good that is allowed into the
country
329. What is an embargo?A. a tax placed on goods coming into the country from overseasB. a limit to the amount of a certain good allowed into the countryC. a tax paid by the producer before he can sell his goods in another countryD. a formal halt to trade with a particular country for economic or political reasons
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SS7E6 The student will explain how voluntary trade benefits buyers and sellers in Southwest Asia (Middle East).c. Explain the primary function of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was created in 1960 by some of the countries with large oil supplies who wanted to work together to try to regulate the supply and price of the oil they exported to other countries. The first five countries to belong to OPEC were Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Venezuela. All of these countries, with the exception of Venezuela, are located in Southwest Asia. These countries, along with others who have joined since 1960, continue to decide how much oil they will produce and that determines the price on the world market. When they produce less, the price on the world market goes up. When they increase production, the price on the world market goes down.
330. Why was OPEC created?A. to regulate the supply and price of oilB. to help the Palestinians in their problems with IsraelC. to design new machinery to get oil out of the groundD. to keep countries that are not members from producing any oil
331. What happens to the price of oil when OPEC countries decide to limit production?A. prices riseB. prices dropC. prices stay the sameD. oil stops being sold
332. Where are most of the OPEC countries located?A. AfricaB. South AmericaC. North AmericaD. Southwest Asia
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SS7E6 The student will explain how voluntary trade benefits buyers and sellers in Southwest Asia (Middle East).d. Explain why international trade requires a system for exchanging currencies between nations.
Most of the countries in Southwest Asia have their own type of currency. In order for them to pay for goods as they trade with each other, they had to establish a system of changing from one type of currency to another. This system is known as an exchange rate. They also have to be able to exchange their currencies with those used by other countries around the world. The currency of the United States is based on the dollar. In most of Western Europe, currency is called the Euro. In Southwest Asia, there are many different types of currency. In order for them to trade with each other, they have to be able to figure out what goods cost in each currency.
333. Why is it important for nations to have a system to convert from one currency to another?A. Converting to different currencies makes goods cost less.B. Banks are not able to handle different kinds of currencies.C. The dollar is the most valuable currency in the world today.D. This makes it possible to buy and sell goods between nations with different types of
money.
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SS7E7 The student will describe factors that influence economic growth and examine their presence or absence in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.a. Explain the relationship between investment in human capital (education and training) and
gross domestic product (GDP).
Human capital means the knowledge and skills that make it possible for workers to earn a living producing goods or services. The more skills and education workers have, the better they are able to work without mistakes and to learn new jobs as technology changes. Companies that invest in better training and education for their workers generally earn more profits. Good companies also try to make sure working conditions are safe and efficient, so their workers can do their jobs without risk.
Gross domestic product, or GDP, is the total value of all goods and services produced within a country in a single year. Wealthy countries have a much higher per capita GDP (amount of goods and services produced divided by the total population) than do developing or underdeveloped countries.
Companies that have invested in their human capital through training and education are more likely to have profitable businesses and more satisfied workers than companies that do not make these investments. Countries where training and education are more easily available often have higher production levels of goods and services, therefore higher gross domestic product, than countries that do not offer these opportunities. The countries in Southwest Asia have widely different gross domestic product levels. Those countries that make it possible for workers to receive training and education tend to be wealthier than those that do not.
Israel has wide access to education and an economy that depends on technology industries to make up for the country’s lack of natural resources. Many Israelis work in industries related to medical technology, agricultural technology, mining, and electronics. They also have highly developed service industries (businesses that supply the needs of the rest of the working population). The Israeli GDP is very high because they have invested heavily in their human capital.
Saudi Arabia’s main industry is as an exporter of oil (petroleum) and petroleum products. The technology involved in the oil industry is complicated and requires a well-trained and educated labor force. Saudi Arabia also has modern communications and transportation systems, as well as enormous building projects, all of which require investments in human capital. By contrast, some Saudi citizens still practice traditional economic activities such as farming and herding animals. Because oil is such an important part of the world’s economy, however, the Saudi GDP is high.
Iran is the world’s fifth largest producer of oil. As in Saudi Arabia, oil wealth in Iran has led to the use of advanced technology that has required highly trained workers. Iran has always had highly regarded schools and universities that have meant educated workers were available for industry. Even so, in recent years the Iranian government has not always done a good job of regulating the parts of the economy that are under government control.
334. What is human capital?A. skills and education workers haveB. taxes collected from a country’s workersC. money paid to workers for producing goodsD. the amount of goods sold in foreign trade in a year
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335. Why have the Israelis made a big investment in human capital?A. Their main industry is the oil industry.B. Investing in human capital takes very little money.C. They have to bring in workers from other countries.D. They need well-trained workers because their economy depends on advanced
technology.
336. Why would the Saudi oil industry need a large investment in human capital?A. The technology in the oil industry is very complicated.B. The Saudis have found it hard to make a profit in the oil industry.C. Most people working in the Saudi oil industry have little or no real training.D. They hope to have machines take over most of the jobs now done by workers.
337. One of Iran’s biggest problems with their state-run oil industry isA. few remaining large oil deposits.B. lack of a market for their product.C. inefficiency and poor organization.D. a labor force that does not want to work.
338. If a country does not invest in its human capital, how can it affect the country’s gross domestic product (GDP)?A. Investment in human capital has little effect on a country’s GDP.B. Most workers want to keep their jobs and do not care about GDP.C. GDP is only affected if workers pay for the investment out of their own pockets.D. GDP may go down because poorly trained workers will not be able to do their jobs
as well.
SS7E7 The student will describe factors that influence economic growth and examine their presence or absence in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.b. Explain the relationship between investment in capital (factories, machinery, and technology)
and gross domestic product (GDP).
Capital goods (the factories, machines, and technology that people use to make other goods) are important to economic growth. Advanced technology and the organization of this technology into factories, where many workers can work together, increases production and makes that production more efficient. Producing more goods for sale in a quicker and more efficient way leads to economic growth and greater profit. This greater profit leads to a higher gross domestic product (GDP).
Israel has invested heavily in capital goods, as so much of their economy depends on technology and industrial production, as well as advanced communications systems. Israel has also invested heavily in the technology involved in the defense industry.
Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in capital goods, especially the technology related to oil production, transportation, and communication.
Iran has made great investments in capital goods related to oil production, technology, and communication. Iran also spends a great deal on technology for its defense industry.
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339. What are capital goods?A. the workers who make the goods and servicesB. the factories and machines used to make goodsC. the money spent to train workers to use new technologyD. the goods and services that are produced for a country’s economy
340. Israel has invested heavily in capital goods in all of the following areas EXCEPTA. oil.B. defense.C. communication.D. farming and agriculture.
SS7E7 The student will describe factors that influence economic growth and examine their presence or absence in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.c. Explain the role of oil in these countries’ economies.
Natural resources are the raw materials a country has that make life and production of goods possible. Land, water, forests, rich soil, and minerals are all types of natural resources. In Southwest Asia, one of the most important natural resources for some countries is oil. Some natural resources can be replaced once they are used, like the trees cut for lumber or fuel. Others, like oil or coal, cannot be replaced once they are used.
Oil is one of the most important and valuable natural resources in Southwest Asia. Oil and natural gas are called fossil fuels, which mean they were created when plants and animals that lived centuries ago decayed underground. Oil and natural gas are also considered non-renewable natural resources, meaning they cannot be replaced once they are taken out of the ground. Most of the world’s industrial nations depend on a steady supply of oil and natural gas. The United States has to import nearly half of all the oil it uses, almost 18 million barrels every day. Many other industrial countries have to do the same, even though they also use other sources of energy such as coal, wind power, and nuclear power. For this reason, countries in Southwest Asia with large reserves of these products have steady markets for all the oil and gas they can produce. Many of these countries have become very rich in the last fifty years, as the world demand for oil and gas has increased. Saudi Arabia and Iran are two of the world’s largest producers of oil. Over half of the world’s known supplies of oil are found in countries in Southwest Asia.
Israel has very few natural resources and practically no oil at all. Israel does have a highly developed industrial economy, so the world price of oil has a huge impact on the Israeli economy. Because they have no oil of their own and an industrial economy that requires purchases of oil and natural gas to operate, this country has had to find other natural resources to develop in order to help their economy grow. Minerals are mined commercially in Israel including phosphates. Salts are also taken from the Dead Sea. Israel’s economy depends more on technology than on the development of natural resources, but this also means Israel must always purchase oil to keep industries going.
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Saudi Arabia has very few natural resources, but the one they do have plenty of is oil. Oil production and the production of natural gas (petrochemicals) make up the majority of Saudi Arabia’s economic wealth. Because Saudi Arabia has such large oil deposits, this country has become very influential in the world economy and in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The great wealth oil production has brought to Saudi Arabia has enabled the country to modernize agriculture, spending billions of dollars on irrigation and desalinization technology. Many modern Saudi cities have been built in areas that were once remote desert areas. They have modernized roads, schools, airports, and communications systems. Even though the oil wealth of the country technically belongs to the royal family, the al-Saudis, enormous sums of money have been spent to improve the lives of ordinary citizens. Saudi Arabia has gone from being a “desert kingdom” to a modern nation in less than 100 years.
Iran’s most valuable natural resource is oil, although Iran also has rich farmland and access to water for irrigation and farming. Iran has a varied economy, with oil and petroleum products production being the largest contributor to the country’s national wealth. Eighty-five percent of the government’s money comes from the sale of oil and petrochemicals on the world market. Even so, much of Iran’s population works in other industries as well, with almost a third engaged in agriculture. Iran has had political problems in recent decades that have led to economic difficulties in spite of their large supply of oil. Iran is a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and benefits from that organization’s decisions to keep the price of oil on the world market at high levels.
341. Why are oil and gas such valuable natural resources?A. Large deposits of oil and gas are found in most countries.B. It is easy to replace oil and gas supplies after they are used.C. Industrial countries depend on oil and gas as their energy supply.D. Oil and gas are the only sources of energy used around the world.
342. How much of the oil used by the United States has to be imported every day?A. 33 percentB. 50 percentC. 75 percentD. nearly 100 percent
343. How has the Saudi government used its national wealth to change the country?A. All Saudi citizens are given an equal share of the national wealth.B. The Saudi government has spent very little to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.C. A majority of the national wealth has been given to religious organizations in the
country.D. The government has paid for improvements in transportation, education, health care,
and agriculture.
344. How do Iran and Saudi Arabia benefit from belonging to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)?A. OPEC keeps the price of oil high on the world market.B. Countries in OPEC are able to share water resources with each other.C. The organization sets up tariffs to protect Southwest Asian manufacturing.D. OPEC makes it possible for Southwest Asian countries to buy oil at low prices.
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345. How has Israel’s lack of oil affected that country’s economy?A. Israeli businesses use little oil to operate.B. Israel has little industry dues to their lack of oil.C. The Israeli economy is built around large-scale farming.D. The Israeli economy depends on technology rather than natural resources, such as
oil.
SS7E7 The student will describe factors that influence economic growth and examine their presence or absence in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.d. Describe the role of entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurs are creative, original thinkers who are willing to take risks to create new businesses and products. Entrepreneurs think of new ways to combine productive resources (natural, human, and capital) to produce goods and services that they expect to sell for a price high enough to cover production costs. These business people are willing to risk their own money to produce these new goods and services in the hope that they will earn a profit. Because no one can tell how popular their new products and services will be, not all entrepreneurs can count on making a profit. Many businesses are not successful. Only about 50% percent of all new businesses are still operating three years after they begin.
346. What is an entrepreneur?A. people who enjoy saving all their moneyB business people who try not to take risks with their moneyC. someone who is always successful in whatever he attemptsD. someone who is willing to take a risk to begin a new business
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historical UnderstandinGs
SS7H2 The student will analyze continuity and change in Southwest Asia (Middle East) leading to the 21st century.a. Explain how European partitioning in the Middle East after the breakup of the Ottoman
Empire led to regional conflict.
the ottoman empire in 1914
The Ottoman Empire controlled much of the area known as the Middle East, or Southwest Asia, from the 1300s until the end of World War I. At its most powerful in the 1500s, the Ottoman Empire’s capital was the city of Istanbul. By the beginning of World War I in 1914, the Ottoman Empire had shrunk in size but still included much of what is known today as Southwest Asia. The Ottoman Empire had weakened because it tried to rule such a huge empire with leaders who could not manage to hold on to the territory. European countries had also become more powerful. When World War I began, the Ottoman Empire decided to join forces with Germany and Italy against the other European powers and the United States. Their side lost the war, and as a result, the Ottoman Empire was overthrown, and Ottoman territory was broken up into a number of smaller countries. The treaty that was announced in 1920, that defined the new boundaries was called the San Remo Agreement. These countries are part of what is known today as the modern Middle East, or Southwest Asia.
The European politicians who decided where the boundaries of these new countries would be often paid little attention to the ethnic and religious groups who were already living in these areas. The new boundaries that were drawn did not take into consideration the concept of nationalism (the idea that countries are most successful if the people who live there share some common cultural, historic, or religious beliefs). As a result, there has been a lot of conflict. Many different groups tried to live together in countries that were created by those who did not realize the problems some of these new boundaries would cause.
347. What led to the end of the Ottoman Empire at the close of World War I?A. The Ottomans were on the losing side of the war, along with Germany and Italy.B. The Empire spent too much money on buildings and new roads and went bankrupt.C. The people in the Empire were starving because a long drought had ruined
agriculture.D. The Ottoman government was overthrown by a revolt of factory workers who were
unemployed when the war ended.
348. Who drew up the boundaries of the new countries created from the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I?A. United StatesB. Ottoman rulersC. European politiciansD. Middle Eastern governments
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SS7H2 The student will analyze continuity and change in Southwest Asia (Middle East) leading to the 21st century.b. Explain the historical reasons for the establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948;
include the Jewish religious connections to the land, the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, and Zionism in Europe.
One of the areas created from the old Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I was Palestine. This area was important to Jews, Christians, and Muslims because this is where much of what is written in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Quran took place. There are many religious sites in Palestine sacred to all three religions. The most important of these is Jerusalem.
In the years before World War II, Palestine was divided again into Transjordan, on the eastern side of the Jordan River, and an area still known as Palestine on the western side of the river. The British were given the responsibility for ruling in Palestine until a decision could be made about how to establish a permanent government there. Most of the people living in Palestine before World War II were Palestinian Arabs. However, since the late 1800’s large numbers of Jewish settlers had been immigrating to the area from both Western and Eastern Europe. Some of these Jewish settlers wanted to create a homeland for the world’s Jews in Palestine, because they believed land in this area had been promised to them by God many thousands of years ago, as told in the stories of the Old Testament. These groups were known as Zionists (those who felt the world’s Jews deserved to return to a homeland in Zion, or those parts of Palestine where the Jewish people had lived in Biblical times). Conflicts began to break out between the settlers and the Palestinian Arabs, as each group tried to hold onto the land.
During World War II, the Jewish people in Europe suffered terribly at the hands of the Nazi government of Germany. There was widespread anti-Semitism (hatred of the Jews simply because they practiced the Jewish faith) in Europe. Over six million European Jews were killed in concentration camps set up by Germany and many thousands of others had to leave Europe to avoid death. This terrible time came to be known as the Holocaust.
At the end of the war, the Jewish people of the world wanted to take steps to be sure nothing like this could ever happen again. Many countries in the world felt tremendous guilt over the Holocaust as they began to learn the details of what had gone on in the German-run concentration camps. A number of Jewish groups living in Europe and the United States, even before the Holocaust, had talked of trying to set up a homeland for the Jewish people in the region of the Middle East or Southwest Asia known as Palestine. At the end of the war, the newly created United Nations also believed something should be done for the Jewish people because of their suffering.
In 1948, the United Nations voted to create a homeland for the Jews in part of Palestine. The Jews who were living there accepted the offer and declared the creation of the State of Israel. However, not everyone was happy with this new state. There were Palestinian Arabs living in the area who felt the United Nations had unfairly given their land away, and they along with many other Arab countries refused to accept the new state. War broke out in May 1948 between the new state of Israel and the Palestinians. Other Arab countries in Southwest Asia agreed with the Palestinians and helped them during this war. The Israelis were able to win this war and the new state of Israel survived, taking over even more land than had originally been planned.
349. Which describes the Holocaust? A. the murder of millions of European Jews during World War IIB. the destruction of all European governments during World War IIC. the bombing of towns and villages in England and Germany during World War IID. the Russian policy of burning ground behind them as they retreated to stop the
German invasion
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350. Why did so many countries in the United Nations feel it was right to create Israel in 1948?A. There was no one else living on the land at that time.B. Many felt the Jews deserved help due to their suffering in the Holocaust.C. Arab countries in the area supported the creation of a homeland for the Jews in
Palestine.D. All national groups in the former Ottoman Empire were being given homelands at
the same time.
351. What is Zionism?A. the idea that all religious groups should have their own statesB. the plan to let Arabs and Jews share the land in Palestine equallyC. the hope that all governments will be based on religious principlesD. the belief that Jews deserved to return to a homeland in Zion where they had lived in
Biblical times
352. What world organization created the new state of Israel in 1948 as a homeland for the Jews?A. the United NationsB. the European UnionC. the League of NationsD. the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
353. How did Arabs living in Palestine in 1948 feel about the creation of the new state of Israel?A. They supported it fully.B. They rejected it as unfair to them.C. The Arab population in Palestine was largely unaffected by the new state.D. They agreed to try to work it out although they were unhappy about the decision.
354. When war broke out in Palestine, what countries joined with the Palestinian Arabs to try to stop the creation of the new state of Israel?A. the United StatesB. neighboring Arab countriesC. the major nations of EuropeD. the countries belonging to the United Nations
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Use the map below to answer questions 355-357.
f_Israel_1
EGYPT
ISRAELJORDAN
Beersheba
Dimona
Ashqelon
Jerusalem
West Bank*
Gaza Strip*DeadSea
1994TreatyLine
GolanHeights(Isreali
occupied)
SYRIA
LEBANON
LakeTiberias
AshdodRishon LeZiyyon
Bat Yam HolonTel Aviv-Yafo Petah Tiqwa
1950Armistice
Line
MediterraneanSea
Netanya
Hadera
NazarethHaifa
Nahariyya
UNDOFZone
20 mi10
20 mi100
0
36º34º
34º
30º
32º
36º
30º
32º
*Israeli-occupied withcurrent status subjectto the Israeli-PalestinianInterim Agreement:permantent status to bedetermined throughfurther negotiation.
355. Which countries border the Gaza Strip?A. Iraq and JordanB. Israel and Egypt C. Lebanon and SyriaD. Israel and the West Bank
356. What is the approximate location of the Dead Sea from Jerusalem?A. nearly 25 miles eastB. nearly 25 miles westC. about 15 miles southeast D. about 15 miles southwest
357. What country is found at 31° N, 34° E?A. Egypt B. IsraelC. JordanD. Saudi Arabia
Israel
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SS7H2 The student will analyze continuity and change in Southwest Asia (Middle East) leading to the 21st century.c. Describe how land and religion are reasons for continuing conflicts in the Middle East.
In May 1948, war broke out in Palestine between the Jews who supported the creation of the new state of Israel and the Palestinian Arabs who also lived there. The neighboring Arab countries supported Palestinian claims to land now in the new state of Israel. The Israelis were able to win this war and the new state of Israel survived, taking over even more land than had originally been planned. Many Palestinians became refugees (people who had to leave their homes as the result of the war). In the last 50 years, there have been additional wars between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Israel has continued to exist, and many of the Palestinians and their descendants still live in refugee camps or in parts of Israel that they feel should be a Palestinian state. The problems between these two people still exist, even though people on both sides of the conflict continue to look for ways to find a peaceful solution to their disagreements. Arab countries in the area are strong supporters of the Palestinians, while the United States is a powerful supporter of the Israelis. The Arab-Israeli conflict plays a major role in the difficulties that the United States and the rest of the world face when trying to find peaceful settlements to Southwest Asian, or Middle Eastern, conflicts.
358. What was the outcome of the 1948 War between the new state of Israel and the Arabs living in and around Palestine?A. The conflict ended and all Palestinian Arabs became citizens in the new State of
Israel.B. Israel won the war and the new State of Israel was even larger than originally
planned.C. Almost no Jewish people were willing to go to Israel because of the country’s angry
Arab neighbors.D. The United Nations decided to withdraw the proposal to create a State of Israel
because of all the problems it caused in the area.
359. What is a “refugee”?A. a person who had to leave their home as a result of warB. a person who opens his home to those who need a safe place to stayC. a person who refuses to take in someone who is without a safe place to stayD. a person who refuses to leave his home even though it is dangerous to stay there
360. What has become of many of the Palestinians who became refugees in 1948?A. Many still live in refugee camps.B. Most have become Israeli citizens.C. They have been given a state of their own in which to live.D. They have given up any claim to return to the land they lost in 1948.
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SS7H2 The student will analyze continuity and change in Southwest Asia (Middle East) leading to the 21st century.d. Explain U.S. presence and interest in Southwest Asia; include the Persian Gulf conflict,
invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
The United States has had significant political and economic interests in Southwest Asia, or the Middle East, since the 1800s, when merchants, missionaries, and tourists began to visit the region. In addition, vast supplies of oil are found in this area, oil that is critical to United States’ energy supplies. Since the end of World War I, the United States has played an important role in the diplomacy following the break-up of the Ottoman Empire. The United States support for the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 also focused attention on this part of the world.
In August 1990, the country of Iraq invaded Kuwait in an effort to control Kuwait’s large supplies of oil. The leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, claimed that Kuwait was taking more oil than they were allowed to from shared oil fields. He also claimed that when the Ottoman Empire was broken up at the end of World War I, the area that became the country of Kuwait should have been a part of Iraq. The creation of the country of Kuwait in 1920 meant that Iraq no longer had any coastline on the Persian Gulf. The United States was concerned about the invasion because the United States gets a large portion of its imported oil from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, another country in the area. Kuwait belonged to the United Nations, a world organization which will come to the aid of a member nation that is attacked without cause by another country. The United Nations voted to raise a military force to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion. Because of the threat to the oil supply, the United States sent troops to be a part of this United Nations military force to drive Iraq out of Kuwaiti territory. This effort was known as the Persian Gulf War, or Operation Desert Storm. Thirty-nine countries joined in and within three months, by February 1991, the Iraqi government accepted a truce and agreed to withdraw from Kuwait.
In 2001, after the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City, the United States began a military operation in Afghanistan aimed at capturing the people responsible for the attack. Intelligence sources identified an organization known as Al-Qaeda, or the Force, as the group of terrorists that planned and carried out the attack. Its leader was a man who was born in Saudi Arabia named Osama bin-Laden. His family was very wealthy and he had used his money to finance this organization. One of the aims of Al-Qaeda is to bring about an end to western influence in the Middle East, or Southwest Asia. Sources in the United States government believed that the radical Muslim government of Afghanistan, the Taliban, allowed Al-Qaeda to hide in the mountains of their country. The United States launched a series of attacks on these mountain hideouts in October 2001 in an attempt to capture bin-Laden and destroy al-Qaeda. United States troops were also sent in and the government of the Taliban collapsed. Since 2001, United States troops have continued fighting in Afghanistan in an attempt to find bin-Laden and destroy his organization. The United States is still working to help the people of Afghanistan reorganize their government.
In 2003, the United States launched an invasion of Iraq, after claiming that the Iraqi government, led by Saddam Hussein, was developing nuclear weapons and offering aid to groups like al-Qaeda, who were a threat to United States interests in the region. The United States called this military action Operation Iraqi Freedom. The government of Saddam Hussein collapsed quickly because many of the Iraqis also felt he was a cruel leader. However, problems followed as the United States did not have a plan ready to help reorganize the country once the old government was gone. American forces have remained in Iraq ever since, trying to stop the fighting between the different religious and ethnic groups who are competing with each other for power as they try to organize a new government.
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361. What is the United States’ main economic interest in Southwest Asia?A. oilB. tourismC. trade routesD. selling American-made products
362. Why did the United Nations try to stop Iraq from taking over Kuwait in 1990?A. The United Nations wanted to destroy the country of Iraq.B. The only job of the United Nations is military action around the world.C. The economies of many countries depend on oil and Iraq’s actions threatened that
supply.D. The United Nations has to intervene whenever any member nation has a conflict
with another country.
363. Who are the “Taliban”?A. the government of IraqB. the government of KuwaitC. a group of radical MuslimsD. a part of the United Nations
364. Why did the United States bomb and invade Afghanistan in 2001?A. Afghanistan invaded the country of Kuwait and threatened the United States supply
of oil.B. The United Nations asked the United States to overthrow the Taliban government of
Afghanistan.C. The United States was afraid that Afghanistan was working to develop nuclear
weapons and they wanted to put a stop to the program.D. They believed the government was offering safety to al-Qaeda, the organization that
attacked the United States on September 11, 2001.
365. Why did the United States go to war against Iraq in 2003?A. Iraq was threatening Afghanistan with nuclear weapons.B. The United Nations believed Iraq was about to invade Kuwait a second time.C. Iraqi troops launched an attack on Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the United States.D. The United States government saw the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, as a threat to
peace and United States interests in the region.
